IAS-IPS couple awaits Prime Minister’s nod to stay together

New Delhi (PTI): With an IAS-IPS couple unable to get transfer to the cadre of their spouse as it would mean being posted in their native state, a piquant situation has arisen exposing the “gaps” in the existing policy.

The couple has sought common cadre citing their marriage, as civil services rules allow it. However, the rules bar any member of the service from working in his or her home state, resulting in the conundrum.

A panel has now proposed that Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi consider allotting both of them alternative cadre to resolve the situation.

The “unique” case is of 2011-batch IAS officer P Parthiban from Tamil Nadu who has been allocated Union territories cadre, that includes Delhi. He married his batchmate and Tamil Nadu cadre IPS officer Nisha, who hails from Delhi.

This matter was put up before a Committee, that decides on cases of inter-cadre transfer and deputation that require relaxation in provisions of existing guidelines, headed by Sanjay Kothari, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

“The Committee was informed that the officers have requested for cadre transfer to a common cadre on the grounds of marriage. Being a unique case, points to the gaps in the existing policy. Either of the officers can’t opt for the cadre of the spouse being their home cadre….

“The Committee after detailed deliberation decided that in such cases, a choice to the officers to choose the immediate next cadre opted by the officer in the detailed application form submitted to UPSC below the present cadre allotted may be provided. The Committee further directed to put up the proposal for seeking approval of Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC),” as per the minutes of the meeting of the Committee.

The ACC is headed by the Prime Minister and has Home Minister Rajnath Singh as member. An aspirant has to give his or her order of preference in the detailed application form filled up by the UPSC as part of civil services examination process. The examination is conducted annually in three stages–preliminary, main and interview–to select IAS and IPS officers among others.
Nisha is presently working in her cadre state Tamil Nadu and her 32-year-old husband P Parthiban, is working in Puducherry.

In another case, the Committee has not recommended request of cadre change from 2010-batch IAS officer Shyam Lal Poonia, who sought change of his Manipur cadre citing “extreme hardship”.